The World Jewish Congress (WJC) is showing a photo exhibition on the Israeli initiative Education without Borders at the headquarters of Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The exhibition coincides with current session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in the French city. It features photographs taken by the photographer Shahar Azran in Israeli hospitals.
In partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Education, the SASA Setton Kav Or initiative and World ORT’s Kadima Mada run the Education without Borders program in 35 hospitals across Israel. The program provides education to children who are hospitalized for more than three days. Through computer-based applications, the children can pursue the studies despite their prolonged absence from school. The program is open to all children in Israel, irrespective of their background and including refugees from Syria and other places.
“Hundreds of thousands of Israeli children, as well as Syrian refugees being treated in Israeli hospitals, have already benefitted from this important initiative. This exhibition show the many faces of Israeli society and the benefits of integration, particularly within medical institutions,” said Robert Singer, CEO of the World Jewish Congress.
The exhibition is located outside the hemicycle where the PACE meeting takes place and is organized in partnership with the Knesset Observer Delegation to PACE. It was previously shown at UNESCO headquarters in Paris and at the United Nations in Geneva.
The Strasbourg-based Council of Europe (CoE) is the leading pan-European human rights organization and focuses on promoting democracy, the rule of law, human rights and economic development. Founded in 1949, the CoE has 47 member states and covers approximately 820 million people across Europe. It is distinct from the European Union, which has 28 member states.
Photo: Shahar Azran